Side-Lying Hip Abduction

About This Exercise

A side-lying isolation exercise targeting the gluteus medius — the lateral hip stabiliser that controls knee tracking and pelvic level during single-leg stance. A weak glute medius is a common cause of IT-band issues and patellofemoral pain in runners.

1Setup

Lie on your side with hips and shoulders stacked, bottom leg slightly bent for stability, top leg straight and aligned with your torso. Bottom arm under your head, top hand on your hip or floor for balance.

2Execution

Lift the top leg straight up, keeping it in line with your torso (do not let it drift forward). Lift only as high as the hip can move without rotating your pelvis backward — typically a small range. Pause at the top, then lower with control. Complete all reps on one side, then switch.

Pro Tips

• Pelvis stays stacked vertically — do not roll backward as the leg lifts
• Lift comes from the hip, not the lower back — keep the trunk quiet
• Range is small — feel the burn in the side of the glute, not the front of the hip
• For runners: glute medius strength is the single best knee-pain insurance you can do